Medicine cabinet



May 16, 1933.

J. S,VALLAND MEDICINE CABINET FiledFeb. l7, l932- INVENTOR.

Patented May 16, 1933 JEANIE SVAL LA ND, Q BROOKLYN, NEW YORK MEDICINE CABINET Application filed February 17, 1932. Serial No. 593,554.

This invention is a medicine cabinet adapted for use in bathrooms in lieu of, or in addition to, the medicine cabinets which are commonly found in this environment.

5 The object of the invention is to provide a neat, convenient and thoroughly efiiclent receptacle which may be readily installed in a bathroom and which will provide for a maximum amount of storage space wh1le occupying a minimum amount of space.

Speaking generally, the cabinet of this ina plurality of shelves which are adjustable vertically and are adapted to be secured to the shaft'bythumb screws in a manner to permit rotation of all of the shelves upon turning of the shaft manually in order that articles supported on the shelves may be presented conveniently at a side opening in the cabinet, which side opening is provided with a suitable door.

The invention embodies numerous important features of construction. For example, the shaft with the-shelves mounted thereon is preferably supported from the top of the casing which, in order to carry the load, is, in practice, domed or arched whereby relatively light sheet metal may be used in the construction of the casing, while still afl'ording ample strength for the suspension of the 40 interior shelf mechanism as will be hereinaftermore fully described. Similarly, the shelves are preferably each formed of two disks of metal, the upper of which is plane and the lower of which is concave or domed in a downward direction, these disks being secured at their peripheries to form a strong and sturdy construction from relativel light sheet metal. Such a shelf will not on y sustain appreciable weight without bending-but will be supported upon the shaft by a long wall 3, the shaft is provided with a stop 5 axial bearin which will preclude tilting of the shelf wit respect to the shaft which supports the same.

Features of the invention, otherthan those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing. illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown, is to be understood as illustrative, only, afid not as definin the limits of the invention.

igure 1 is a perspective view showing the medicine cabinet of the present invention with a door thereof in open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the cabinet showing the method of mounting the same.

Figure 3 is a perspettive viewshowing a bracket adapted to be mounted on the wall for the purpose of supporting the cabinet.-

Figure 4 is avertical central section through one of the shelves showing the method of mounting the same on the central shaft which in this view is shown in elevation.

. Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a cylindrical sheet metal casing closed at its top and bottom. The bottom 2 of the casing is preferably flat or plane while the top of the casing 3 is arched or domed as shown in Figure 2.. The shaft 4 extends axially through the casing and through rforations in the top and bottom walls. A, ve the top which may conveniently be in the form of a nut screwed on to the shaft-and actin against a washer 6. This washer is adapte to bear on the top 3 of the casing so as to besuspended from its upperend, said shaft fitting loosely through the perforation in the bottom of the casing and provided at its lower end with a knob or finger piece 7 whereby the shaft may be manually rotated.

Mounted on the shaft 4- interiorly of the casing are a plurality of shelves 8. These shelves are of circular contour and fit relatively closeto the interior wall of'the casing, but have sufficient clearance therewith to permit the shelves to rotate on the axis of tion of the shelf is relatively deep due to the spacing apart of the disks at their central portions, while the peripheries of the shelves are'relatively thin and graceful in appearance. Each shelf is rovided with a hub member 12, and each ub embodies a head 13 having a threaded shank 14 passing though the center of the shelf and locked in lace by a lock nut 15 which binds the shelf tween the lock nut and the head 13. This hub is thus relatively long and this fact together with the relatively deep central portion of the shelf permits the shelf to be mounted for vertical adjustment on the shaft, while precludin tilting of the shelf such as would occur if t e shelf were of thin shallow dimension at its center. The respective shelves can be locked in any desired position of adjustment on the shaft 4 by means of set screws 16 and in order to insure a tight hold.

by these set screws, the shaft may be provided at suitable spaced intervals with depressions or notches 17 as shown in Figure 4 for the reception of the set screws in a mannerwhich will preclude slipping of the shelf. These notches 'may convenlently be a half inch apart, so as to allow of adjustment of the shelves within narrow limits. I

The set screws serve the purpose not only to retain the shelves in proper adjustment,

but also serve to lock the shelves to the shaft for rotation therewith, whereby when the knob 7 is turned, the shelves will rotate in unison. The casing is provided at what isdoor is ada ted to cooperate with a perforation- 22 in t e adjacent wall of the casing to normally look the door in closed position.

On the interior of the door, I may find it convenient to mount a card retainer 23 in the form of a U-shaped flange, the purpose of which is to retain in convenient exposed position first aid directions, the doctors telephone number or other data which it may be desired to have convenient. Upon the door may also be mounted a toothbrush holder indicated at 24 and so constituted as to form a holder for a plurality of tooth brushes. In

order that the interior of the casing may be pro erly ventilated, ventilating opemngs, pre erably arranged in pleasing and aesthetic groups as shown at 25 are formed in the door 19.

With regard to the catch 21, it may be noted that this catch is shown as in the form of a laterally projecting finger carrying at the end thereof a pin adapted to enter into the hole 22 in the casing wall. This arrangement has no moving parts, the natural resiliency of the door serving to normally impel the pin into the hole 22 and permitting with-.

in from the hole to allow of the opening 0 the door when desired. It

drawal of the will be understood, however, that any other suitable form of catch may be employed without departing from this form of the invention. i

The cabinet as hereinbefore described is adapted to be supported u on a suitable bracket secured to the wall 0 the bathroom. Various forms of brackets may be emplo'yed in this connection, but I find it convement and desirable to so constitute the bracket that it may support the casing in the corner of the room. To this end I preferably make the bracket as shown in Figure 3, wherein it is illustrated as comprising a frame 26 having openings 27 whereby it may be nailed intothe corner of a room and on this [frame are mounted a plurality of hooks 28 shown as four in number, so disposed as to cooperate with keepers 29, four of which are shown in K Figure 1 as secured to the backof the casing.

With this arrangement, the bracket is permanently secured'to the wall, while the casing may be readily hooked on or removed from the bracket. The arrangement specified mounts the casing firmly in position while leaving the bottom of the casing. unencumbered, so that the knob 7 may be grasped and turned as desired.

The purpose of mounting the shelves for rotation is to permit articles positioned on any portion of any shelf to be readily brought into juxtaposition with the doorway. In

practice, it is found that large numbers of art cles may packed on the shelves, and while any particular article maybe brought into accessible position by merely rotatmg' the knob 7 to correspondingly rotate the shelves. In practice the doorway occu ies substantially one-fourth of the circum erence of the casing, so as to give a relatively wide access opening, while rotation of the shelves makes it possible to render an article contained on any portion of the shelf to be brou ht into accessible position.

With the arrangement which I have'de-v scribed, I am able to obtain a shelf cream a relatively small cabinet which 'is equivalent to the shelf area of a much larger cabinet of .ood

carrying'the adjusting screws of the two upper shelves are positioned below the shelves, while the adjusting screw for the lowest shelf is positioned above the shelf.

7 19 This is to permit of maximum adjustment between the shelves and to allow the lowermost shelf to be lowered almost into contact with the bottom wall 2 of the casing. The result is that maximum adjustment is permitted.

with maximum capacity for a relatively small casing. 1

The device may beeconomically manufactured and easily installed by the purchaser. The use of a frame fitting into the corner of 20 a room facilitates the installation for the angle of the frame is preferably made sub-. stantially 90 degrees so that when placed in the corner of a room and secured in position, it will support the casing with its axis in truly vertical position.

The entire structure is sanitary, and is so constituted that it will not furnish inaccessible places for vermin and may be easily cleansed through the use of a damp cloth when desired.

Havin thus fully described ,the invention,

what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: v

. 1. A medicine cabinet comprising a cylindrical casin adapted to be mounted with its axis vertica said casing being provided at one side with a door opening, a door pivotally associated with said opening, a shaft extending vertically coaxial of the casing, said shaft being suspended for rotation in a bearing in the top wallof the casing and pro'ecting through an opening in the bottom 0 the casing and provided exteriorly of the casing and at its lower end with a finger piece whereby the shaft may be rotated, and a plurality of shelves mounted on said shaft interiorly of the casing and adapted for vertical adj ustment with respect to one another on said shaft, each of said shelves having a flat upper supporting surface extending for substantially the full inner diameter of the casing and means for lockin the shelves in the desired positions of ad ustment, the top wall of said casin being arched upwardly to provide a dome formation for the purpose of imparting a requisite support for the shaft and shelves with a top wall ,of minimum .thickness.

2. A medicine cabinet comprising a cylinrical casing adapted to be mounted with its axis vertical, the top wall of the casing being domed or arched in an upward direction, a shaft extending vertically coaxially of the casing and suspended from the apex of the dome, said shaft extending downwardly through the bottom of the casin and pro-, videdexteriorly thereof with a ger iece whereb it-ma be rotated, a plurality o circular s elves having flat upper supportin surfaces and of a diameter substantially equa to the internal diameter of the casing, supported on the shaft and coaxial therewith, each of said shelves being provided with a relatively deep hub embracing the shaft, and each hub having a set screw threaded through the hub and adapted to en age with the shaft to lock the shelf in the desired position of adjustment and to also lock the shelf for rotation with the shaft, so that all the shelves maybe rotated with-the shaft when the fin er piece is rotated, said casin being provi ed.

at one side thereof with a oor opening into juxtaposition with which various articles supported on the shelves may be. moved through rotation of the shelves, and a door for normally closing said opening.

3. A medicine cabinet comprisin a c lindrical casing adapted to be mounte =wit its axis in vertical position, a shaft positioned coaxially of the casing'and extending beneath the same and there rovided with a finger piece, whereby the s aft ma be rotated, a plurality of. shelves mounte on said shaft for rotation therewith, each of said shelves comprisin two circular disks, the lower of which is ownwardly domed and theu'pper of which is flat with the peripheral portion of the upper disk spun over the outer mar in of the lower disk to bind said disks toget er and form a tight joint at their outer peri heries, the central portions of both disks being perforated, a hub extending through said perforations and having opposing shoulders between which the disks are clam ed to a set screw threaded therethrough and bearing against the shaft to lock the hub in the desired position of adjustment, the shaft being provided with vertically spaced apart notches for cooperation .with the set screws of the several shelves, and the casing being provided at one side thereof with a door opening, and a door cooperating with said opening when adapted to normally close the same.

4. A medicine cabinet comprising a casin provided at one side'with a door opening an adapted to be mounted with its axis vertical, said casing having an upwardly domed top wall, a shaft positioned coaxially of the casing and suspended from the apex of the top wall, said shaft extending downwardly through the casing and through a rfora- .tion in the bottom thereof and provi ed at its lower end. with a finger piece whereby the shaft may be rotated, a pluralityof-circular shelves positioned. within the casing and mounted on the shaft for vertical adjustment, said shelves being relatively deep at their ginal edges an each shelf being provided at the center of the hub secured to the shelf and embracing the shaft with a relatively long boring, a set screw threaded through each hub into engagement with the shaft to lock 5 the shelves in the desired position of adjustment, so that when the shaft is rotated articles contained on the shelves may be moved in juxtaposition with the door opening, and a door associated with the door opening and serving to normally close the same.

5. A medicine cabinet comprising a casing provided at one side with a door opening and adapted to be mounted with its axis vertical, said casing having an upwardly domedjtop 1 wall, a shaft positioned coaxially of the casing and suspended from the apex of the top wall, said shaft extending downwardly through the casing and through a perforation in the bottom thereof, a plurality of circular shelves positioned within the casing and mounted on the shaft for vertical adjustment, said shelves being relatively "deep at their centers and tapering to relatively thin marginal edges and each shelf being provided at the center of the hub secured to the shelf and embracing the shaft with a relatively long boring, a locking member associated with each hub and engaging with the shaft to lock the shelves in the desired position of adjust- ,ment, so that when the shaft is rotated articles contained on the shelves may be'moved in juxtaposition with the door opening, and

a door associated with the door opening and serving to normally close the same. '6. A medicine cabinet comprising a cylindrical. casin adapted to be mounted with its axis vertica said casing being provided at one side with a door opening, a door pivotally associated with said opening, a shaft extend- '40 .ing vertically coaxial of the casing, said shaft being suspended for rotation in a bearin in the to wall of the casing, and a plura ity of she ves mounted on said shaft interiorly of the casing and adapted for vertical adjustment with respect to one another on said shaft, each of said shelves having a flat upper supporting surface extending for substantially the full diameter of the casing, and means for lockin the shelves in the dey 60 sired positions of ad ustment, the top wall of said casing being arched upwardly to provide a domed formation for the purpose of im arting a requisite support for the shaft an shelves with a top wall of minimum thickness. i 1 In testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

JEANI'E SVALLAND'. 

